1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a file sharing system and a setting method for a file sharing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a file sharing device known as NAS (Network Attached Storage) is used to manage file data in data management systems that handle large volumes of data, such as those installed at companies and municipalities. A plurality of host computers (hereinafter, the host) can share files via the file sharing device.
A redundant logical storage area can be achieved by virtualizing, on the basis of RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), storage areas that each has a plurality of disk drives. The file sharing device can store file data in the redundant storage areas. Therefore, even if a failure should occur in a portion of the disk drives, the other normal disk drives can be used to restore the data inside the failed disk drive.
Furthermore, a file sharing system can be constructed from a plurality of file sharing devices in preparation for a situation in which the functions of an entire file sharing device are suspended due to an earthquake, fire or other such disaster. Making the storage content of the one file sharing device coincide with the storage content of the other file sharing device makes it possible to use the other file sharing device to provide file sharing services to the host if the one file sharing device shuts down.
In the case of a system, which operates a plurality of file sharing devices together, the user must manually set each file sharing device individually. Therefore, usability is poor due to the burden placed on the user by the increased number of setting processes, and the increased likelihood of human error this entails.
Although it is not file sharing system-related technology, for example, a technology for providing a management server in a SAN (Storage Area Network), connecting the management server to respective host computers and storage devices via a LAN (Local Area Network), and carrying out comprehensive control is known (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-63063).
Furthermore, technology for automatically setting a storage system copy configuration by issuing an indication from the management server to the respective host computers is also known (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-250927).
In the prior art, the configuration of a storage device can be set via an indication from the management server. However, since the prior art is not related to a file sharing system, these technologies cannot be used as-is in a file sharing system. This is because the network settings, device settings, and application settings of the respective file sharing devices must be carried out in a prescribed order in a file sharing system. Furthermore, the prior art does not provide disclosures about omitting useless indications, and determining whether or not the contents of an indication can be set for a setting-targeted file sharing device.